FL06-203 Blueberry Low Chilling Requirement Evergreen Cultivation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Southern highbush blueberry varieties like 'Emerald' have high chilling requirements, leading to delayed blooming and fruiting, and do not perform well as evergreen plants in regions with mild winters, limiting their cultivation in south central Florida.

Innovation Solution

The development of 'FL06-203', a new blueberry variety with a low chilling requirement, vigorous upright growth, and earlier ripening, which allows for successful cultivation as an evergreen plant in south central Florida, characterized by sweeter, firmer berries and higher yields compared to 'Emerald'.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If high chilling requirement varieties like 'Emerald' are used, then they perform well in regions with cold winters, but they have delayed blooming and do not perform well as evergreen plants in regions with mild winters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to mild winter regionsVSAvoidblooming delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by developing a blueberry variety with fundamentally altered chilling requirements. 'FL06-203' requires only 150-200 chill hours compared to 800-1000+ hours for traditional varieties, enabling early blooming (February-March) in mild winter regions while maintaining evergreen growth habits, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability to mild climates and blooming timing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If early ripening is achieved through breeding, then fruit production timing is improved, but other quality characteristics may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveripening timeVSAvoidfruit quality consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves early ripening (50% ripe berries by April 10 in North Florida, March 1 in South Central Florida) while maintaining reliable fruit quality through systematic parameter changes in the plant's physiological characteristics. The variety produces large (16-18mm diameter), sweet (10-12 Brix), firm berries with consistent commercial quality, demonstrating that early ripening and quality reliability can coexist through selective breeding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If low chilling requirement is selected for, then evergreen cultivation in mild winter regions is enabled, but genetic diversity may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevergreen cultivation capabilityVSAvoidgenetic diversity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple desirable traits from different parent varieties into a single unified genotype. 'FL06-203' combines the low chilling requirement and evergreen habit from one parent with vigorous growth, early blooming, and superior fruit quality from another, creating a composite variety that achieves evergreen cultivation capability while maintaining high genetic value through controlled cross-breeding programs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUSPP26312P2Blueberry plant named ‘FL06-203’

Publication Date: 2016.01.19 FLORIDA FOUNDATION SEED PRODUCERS INC

AI summary

‘FL06-203’ is a new and distinct southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) variety distinguished by a very low chilling requirement, early bloom, upright growth habit, and fruit that are firm, sweet, with a small dry picking scar.